Weeks after winning the program’s first national championship in more than two decades, Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh is heading back to the NFL.
Harbaugh has accepted an offer to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers.
In a statement posted to the Michigan football X page on Wednesday night, University President Santa Ono said the school had been in talks with Harbaugh for "the last several weeks" and had "tried our best to retain him as our football coach."
"Jim called me today and let me know that he has made the difficult decision to leave Michigan and join the Los Angeles Chargers in pursuit of his NFL dreams," Ono's statement said.
"For the fans, the players, and for me personally, we are sad to hear of Jim's departure. His drive and ambition turned our program around, delivered our first national championship in a quarter century and maintained Michigan as the all-time winningest team in the history of college football," Ono's statement said. "I thank Jim for all he has done for the University of Michigan and respect his decision. He has been an extraordinary leader and a friend. I will be cheering for Jim as he embarks on this next adventure."
Reports over the last several weeks suggest Harbaugh turned down a reported six-year deal worth $11.5 million a season. Exact terms of the offer have not been confirmed.
As has been the case seemingly every offseason in recent years, Harbaugh had been rumored to be interested in a return to the NFL since the Wolverines capped off a 15-0 season with a win over Washington in the College Football Playoff National Championship.
In addition to the Chargers, Harbaugh also reportedly interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons.
Harbaugh leaves Ann Arbor with an 83-25 record over nine seasons, claiming three Big Ten championships, in each of his last three years.
He returns to the NFL a decade after wrapping up a three-year stint as the San Francisco 49ers head coach, where he went 41-14 (including postseason), with a trip to the Super Bowl — where he lost to his brother John’s Ravens — and NFL Coach of the Year honors in his first season.
His departure comes after spending much of the season surrounded by controversy at Michigan. He served a self-imposed three-game suspension to start the year in connection with alleged recruiting violations.
He was then suspended by the Big Ten for the final three regular season games for violating the conference’s sportsmanship policy as the NCAA determined the program had been conducting an on-campus, in-person scouting and sign stealing scheme.
With both cases still remaining open, it is not clear what punishment the NCAA will levy against the program.
While Harbaugh will inherit a team that finished 5-12 and in last place in the 2023 season, he will have one of the league's most promising young quarterbacks in Justin Herbert.
Los Angeles fired Brandon Staley after a 5-9 start to the season, a year after the Chargers collapsed in the Wild Card round against the Jaguars.